Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/815541
AGGREGATES MANAGER / May 2017 3 May 2017 Vol. 22, No.5 aggman.com /AggregatesManager /AggManEditor Editorial Editor-in-Chief: Therese Dunphy Editorial Director: Marcia Gruver Doyle Online Editor: Wayne Grayson Online Editor: Kerry Clines editorial@aggman.com Design & Production Art Director: Sandy Turner, Jr. Production Designer: Timothy Smith Advertising Production Manager: Linda Hapner production@aggman.com Construction Media Vice President, Construction Media: Joe Donald sales@randallreillyconstruction.com 3200 Rice Mine Rd NE Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 randallreilly.com Corporate Chairman: Mike Reilly President and CEO: Brent Reilly Chief Operations Officer: Shane Elmore Chief Financial Officer: Russell McEwen Senior Vice President, Sales: Scott Miller Senior Vice President, Editorial and Research: Linda Longton Vice President of Events: Stacy McCants Vice President, Audience Development: Prescott Shibles Vice President, Digital Services: Nick Reid Vice President, Marketing: Julie Arsenault For change of address and other subscription inquiries, please contact: aggregatesmanager@halldata.com. Aggregates Manager TM magazine (ISSN 1552-3071) is published monthly by Randall-Reilly, LLC copyright 2017. Executive and Administrative offices, 3200 Rice Mine Rd. N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Subscription rates: $24 annually, Non-domestic $125 annually. Single copies: $7. We assume no responsibility for the validity of claims of manufacturers in any advertisement or editorial product information or literature offered by them. Publisher reserves the right to refuse non-qualified subscriptions. Periodical circulation postage paid at Tuscaloosa, Alabama and additional entries. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to Aggregates Manager, 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. Striking a Balance on Tech by Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief tdunphy@randallreilly.com EDITORIAL D uring recent years, the way in which a producer can manage his or her business has changed dramatically, and technology is driving many of those changes. In fact, technology was a key theme of ConExpo-Con/ Agg, both as part of the show itself and in features of the new equipment being introduced. To underscore this point, editors were even given miniature drones to fl y in the drone aviary at the Tech Experience. The pace of technology evolution within the industry is reminiscent of that of cell phones. I remember my fi rst one — which I got nearly 20 years ago — for its resem- blance to a brick and its 15-minutes-of-talk-a-month limit. A few years later, I got a much smaller one with a lot more minutes per month. Next came the phone with a tactile keypad and unlimited texting (I loved that one). About a decade ago, the fi rst smart phone arrived on the doorstep. With internet accessibility and more apps than I knew what to do with, it was truly a game changer. Today, I have six iPhones in my household, and they are used for everything from email to food orders to navigation. Consider the industry parallels. A little over a decade ago, an automated plant was fairly unique. Now, we have wheel loaders with built-in scales, dozers and motor graders with guidance systems, and haul trucks that indicate full loads. Telematics offer the opportunity to monitor machine usage and health. Remote-control equip- ment, push-button repetitive functions, and collision avoidance systems all allow operators to work more safely and productively, and autonomous vehicles are deep into development. Whew! Technology offers both opportunities and obstacles for operators. Features can open up signifi cant new insights on equipment utilization and plant optimization, but operators must appreciate the potential benefi ts and have employees who are willing and able to use these features. Luck Stone has always been an early tech adopter, and frequently a pioneer, at its sites. It recently announced plans to accelerate its growth in Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) technology — more commonly referred to as drones — through a part- nership with Airware. The company currently owns a small fl eet of drones and has its own full-time licensed UAV pilot. "Luck Stone recognized the need to acquire greater amounts of accurate, repeatable data from the air that could be easily accessed and analyzed for improved operational effi ciency," John Blackmore, survey and mapping supervisor, said in a press release. While Luck Stone continues to invest in innovation, other operators barely skim the information available through telematics. I don't expect technology to replace the need for good equipment operators, well- trained mechanics, or savvy plant managers any time soon. That said, there is much each can learn by leveraging some of the technology at their fi ngertips. Check out our feature on technology (see page 24) and think about how it can best be imple- mented at your site. With that, I'm off to play with my newest drone — which I control via one very smart phone.